I don't like relying on people. I'd like to think I'm the type of person who can take care of himself, especially when things get really bad. Over the last couple of years my partner has been out of work and I've only managed to find part time work. That said, one of my relatives has been helping us financially until we can get back on our feet. Every time I see a check in the mail, I cringe. I should be able to take care of myself.
I've felt like this when it comes to weight loss as well. I feel like relying on friends to help you lose weight is somewhat of a trap. It certainly does (and for me can) work really well at keeping oneself motivated. However, what if you lose the continual support of that friend? A situation like this happened to me several years ago while I was on Weight Watchers with one of my best girl friends. We both had a significant amount of weight to lose, although I had much, MUCH more than she. I joined the program several months after she had, when I had noticed how much it had worked for her. After I joined the program, I noticed how well it impacted me! The pounds started coming off, and after a few weeks people started noticing the change in my physique. Every week at the meetings and weigh-ins, my friend and I would share our accomplishments, support each other in our missteps, and continually push each other through to that next week. I was eating healthier, moving more, and really enjoying the process of losing weight. More importantly I wasn't at all missing those habits that made me overweight. It was an incredible experience.
Then it happened: my friend had achieved her weight loss goal and she quit Weight Watchers. At that point, I thought, 'yeah, I can do this on my own.' Within a couple of weeks, though, I had started falling into bad habits. Before I knew it, my attendance at the meetings evaporated and I found every single pound I had lost.
Now, I don't blame my friend. She is to this day one of my best friends and I wouldn't trade our friendship for anything! But that experience made me realize something: when it comes to weight loss, I very much need people to rely on for support, encouragement, and motivation. This is why I was so happy to learn that another friend of mine began this same program a few weeks ago, is having success, and wants me to come to the meetings with her. I accepted the invitation, and Thursday the new journey begins. The best part is, as the day gets closer, I feel like I'm ready for this, and I'm even somewhat excited about the prospect. However, I am leery of my previous experiences, and I need to find a way to keep the motivation alive. Stay tuned!
